Y&R: Episodes discussion, week of September 21

[DeeeDee]

Bianca's rape unites a town.

Colleen's death unites a bass & ostrich.

[DRW50]

The outright contempt for women is what really amazes me, although with Rauch and Sheffer around, it fits.

I agree that many recurring actors are being wasted but Traci is the most ridiculous because her family is in desperate need of her. The people at Y&R do not do family. The closest they'd get is the Mansons.

[DeeeDee]

Exactly.

Maria could give overworked half of the cast a much needed 6 month break by writing for the other half of the canvas but that would require her to put forth actual effort.

Pretty much.

[DeeeDee]

[DRW50]

I walked right into that

[MarkH]

I found Tuesday's Y&R to be one of the most emotionally satisfying in a while. I agree with many of you that it still doesn't feel as moving as it should. Comparing Cassie's death to this one...I can't quite put my finger on what is missing, but something is.

That said, I enjoyed singular moments a lot. Examples: Paul praying with Traci, Eileen Davidson playing "I don't love him anymore" with her eyes. Doug Davidson had a hard time re-engaging in this show...and his over-acting early after the Patty reveal showed how rusty he was. But now he is PITCH PERFECT, and is rivaling Bergman for best actor. Eileen captivates me in every scene these days, and mostly that is because of all the subtext she is bringing. She's another person who came back to Y&R re-engaged, and it shows.

My FAVORITE moment was Traci on her Blackberry, googling about survival stories after brain death. THAT IS SO REAL! I have spent a lot of time with loved ones in hospitals lately...and I'm here to say that kind of Blackberry googling is where you look for hope and information.

I also loved that Victoria could offer a moment of tenderness to JT for his lost love. No, Thad couldn't summon the tears I would have expected, but that moment of affection in the chapel was moving and felt real to me.

Catty thoughts: I wish Hayley Erin could act. I wish Thad could cry. Clearly Nikki didn't go to a Fat Farm (bad Mark!--you should talk!)

I'm sure some of you will complain about the device of Adam's monologue, but it speaks more to the problem of Adam's motivations being unclear. I thought Muhney mastered that soliloquy. What I loved was how his "lost little boy" overwhelmed the vitriolic dialog. But, alas, I still am no clearer on Adam's SPECIFIC motivations than I ever was. I still don't see how he "brings down" Victor by hurting Ashley this way. Adam said he "sold his soul" the night of Ashley's fall, but surely there would be more effective ways to bring down Victor and Jack?

Heather's absence in all of this is beyond appalling. I realize Vail is recurring and off making movies...but why isn't this explained in the story? Just say she went to tend to April, who got swine flu.

[DRW50]

I think she's probably just happy to have some type of material with the Abbotts. She's seemed very lost with what to do with the gaslighting story. All the actors in that story seem to have no idea what to do.

I almost wish Ashley had had less involvement, because it sort of feels like gosh, how noble of Ashley to drop in and help her sister, whassername, while she is going through the crisis of losing Victor (again). I keep expecting them to remind us, again, of all her dead babies, so that Traci can tell her how brave she is and so we will get the "irony" of Ashley now having a miracle baby that has actually been dead for months.

Muhney is very good at talking to himself. It's the interaction with everyone else that seems to lack any spark. The Newmans by and large have no real chemistry together.

[MarkH]

I'd agree about Newman chemistry. It is all off now. It wasn't always thus. But Muhney still rocked!

On another topic: I realize lots of Y&R fans have "issues" with Amber. But seeing her channel/masquerade as Gloria in the previews....PRICELESS!

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I disagree, losing Engen made me realize the grounded nature he brought to that character. Engen could have easily come off as some cartoon character with the material he was given, but he didn't. To think I thought he was a bore. Watching Muhney and his HORRIBLE facial expressing, and cartoon acting antics makes me miss Engen.

The Adam character is so lost and without any real motivation. I think the character is a lost cause at this point, and needs to spend a few good years in prison off screen before being brought back with a recast.

Not to mention, Muhney looks like Morrow and Heinle's OLDER brother. Meh.

[MarkH]

I really enjoyed Muhney at the bedside today. While I can understand what you mean by "cartoon" on many days, today I really thought Muhney played the wounded subtext, wanting to love and be loved by Daddy, very well.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Don't you think this is all too little, too late though? Look at how long this gaslighting mess of a storyline has dragged on, and NOW they want to expose this part of the character?

It doesn't feel real to me, it feels fake and tacked on. Muhney left me cold in those scenes, I don't think he's delivered since he's been in this role.

I bet they saw off a message board that people weren't getting any remorse from the character and thought he was completely irredeemable and decided to add it in, 5 months too late.

Kind of like how they stole your

after reading this message board.

[bellcurve]

Really...how difficult is it to play yourself?

[DRW50]

There's a certain condescension towards the viewers which does come across in the writing for Adam and Patty Jane. Sort of like, "This is the part where you're supposed to pity the psycho." Especially with Adam, they go for months with him being a complete sociopath creep sicko, and then suddenly we get an overwritten pity party.

[Cheap21]

Who is that guy hanging around Tracy? Her husband? How come Ive never seen or heard about him before? Colleen never talks about him

WHY did she have to die? Couldnt they just have written her out. Y&R has done a good job at decimating the Abbots in the past few years.

[DRW50]

That's her husband, Steve Carlton. She met him when she became a novelist. I believe he was her publisher. She fell for him because Brad was usually away, and was more into Ashley, and Lauren.

I think they brought him back because this is it for Traci.